


Thanks for the Memories

by chai_pandemic17



Series: Be My Halo [71]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adorable, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Awkward Kageyama Tobio, Baking, Blushing, Cars, Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cold Weather, Cookies, Crying, Cute, Dates, Dialogue, Dorks, Dorks in Love, Ear Piercings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Holidays, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Japanese Culture, Kageyama Tobio is Bad at Feelings, Kissing, Last Chapter, Laughter, Lesbian Character, M/M, Memories, Nausea, POV Alternating, POV Hinata Shouyou, POV Kageyama Tobio, Pictures, Piercings, Secrets, Thanks for the memories, The End, Time Skips, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Volleyball, Volleyball Dorks in Love, i'm actually sobbing, thank you so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chai_pandemic17/pseuds/chai_pandemic17
Summary: CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONEThere's no part of this chapter that I could put here that would summarize it. All I can do is thank you all for reading up until this point.Welcome to the last chapter.Thanks for the memories.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Kageyama Miwa/Tanaka Saeko, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Be My Halo [71]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907899
Comments: 14
Kudos: 35





	Thanks for the Memories

**Author's Note:**

> it's over. it's finally, finally over. luckily for you guys, I finished the chapter about three days sooner than I expected! I really, really hope every one of you enjoys this chapter.
> 
> thank you, each and every one of you, especially those who stuck until the end. yes, this is a fanfic on ao3. but I've been working tirelessly every day at it for the past two months, and WOW has it been an adventure!
> 
> I can't wait to read your comments, and to probably cry a lot doing so ^^"
> 
> again, thank you so much, and enjoy!

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Two months later_

_Christmas Day (Present)_

_(Kageyama’s POV)_

“TOBIO, STOP GIVING YOURSELF A MANICURE AND COME SEE THE PRESENTS!”

I jump, clutching the nail file. _Guilty._ Then a smile spreads across my face. After tossing the file into my bag, I stand, stretching with a grunt. I pass Shouyou’s mirror on my way to the door, catching a glimpse of my navy blue pajamas. They’re covered with polar bears in various poses and holding various objects, such as presents and candy canes. The top and bottom match.

I step out into the hallway, ducking when I move through the doorway. The hardwood floors send chills up my spine. I make my way down the hall, passing a handful of doors, as well as framed photographs of familiar people and places.

The first is of Shouyou holding up the camera to show the Karasuno volleyball team behind him. The second year trio is in the back with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. In the middle, Daichi and Sugawara have their hands on the shoulders of a red-faced, but smiling, Asahi. They’re both grinning, as well.

In the front are Tanaka and Nishinoya, of course, with boastful poses. I’m in the front, as well, having been forced forward by the pair. Shouyou’s grin is radiant even through the photo, contrasting my startled expression. He somehow managed to blink for the photo.

The second was taken by Yachi, of the team in the middle of a practice match against Nekoma. Somehow, she found just the right spot that captures both sides of the net equally. The picture is at knee-height, which makes Shouyou’s mid-air figure all the more bizarre.

The Nekoma team has three up to block. The rest are waiting to attempt a receive. In the photo, I stand still part way in the air, having just set the ball right into Shouyou’s swinging palm. Right before the spike.

The third is an old family photo of the Hinata family, from when their dad was still alive. Mr. and Mrs. Hinata are holding a very, very small Shouyou’s hands; all three are laughing. Mrs. Hinata’s free hand is resting on her pregnant belly. It must have been taken only a few months before the accident.

The fourth is a similar photo. But instead of Mr. Hinata and a pregnant belly, Natsu and I are... part of the family. We took the photo with a timer just last week, so the colors are still vivid.

Mrs. Hinata is in the back, her hands on Shouyou and I’s shoulders. Natsu is standing proudly with her hands on her hips in the front. Just above her head, you can just make out our clasped hands. We all bear grins, though mine is slightly smaller and more bashful.

The last is different from the rest. There are two other copies of it: one in my house, and one in Tanaka’s house (though I have copies of most of the other photos, as well). This one is of Tanaka’s sister, Saeko, with her arm around the shoulders of my big sister Miwa’s shoulders.

They’re both grinning at the camera, which is held up high to show what’s behind them: a massive grove of cherry blossom trees. The pink petals litter the ground, decorate the branches, and blow through the air around them, almost magically.

I step out of the hall, the empty but warm kitchen at my left. At my right is the living room: a massive Christmas tree stands by the window, glowing with yellowish lights. The _kotatsu_ was taken out of the hallway closet the other day. Its _futon_ is a pure white with red edges to match the Christmas theme. I itch to sit under it, warmed by the space heater underneath, but I pry my eyes away from it and look around.

Shouyou, having just noticed me, sits up from where he was laying dramatically on the couch. As I move closer to him, his smile gets wider and his eyes get warmer. His pajamas are green (which contrasts almost hilariously with his bright orange hair) with yellow cuffs, reminiscent of an elf.

I push up my glasses, suddenly embarrassed for some reason. My hands clench nervously at my sides, fidgeting with the unfamiliar soft fabric of my pajamas. He watches me shift in place with raised eyebrows for a moment before grabbing my pajama front and pulling me down for a soft but chaste kiss.

“Get a room!”

I jump, turning around to see Natsu sticking her tongue out at me. She must’ve been hiding underneath the _kotatsu’s futon_ when I walked in. Then her face breaks into a grin, and I give her one of my own, albeit sheepish.

Natsu’s eyes go wide when she notices the pile of presents under the tree that I myself had missed at first. It isn’t large, but not small, either. _Plenty for the three of us, as well as a few things for Mrs. Hinata and my sister._

My brow furrows when I think of the two. “Shou,” I start, turning him. “Where’s Miwa and your mother?”

He puts on a thoughtful look, but Natsu interrupts us from where she’s standing halfway behind the tree, looking out the window. The light from the setting sun makes her hair glow like burning embers. “There!”

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Did you know:_

A ‘ _kotatsu_ ’ “is a low, wooden table frame covered by a _futon_ , or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is a heat source... often built into the table itself.”

The ‘ _futon_ ’ is comparable to a cross between the western ‘comforter’ and a mattress.

The heat source, in modern times, is usually a space heater.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

Sure enough, headlights flash into the room for a moment as the family van pulls into the driveway. My small smile returns. Shouyou grins again, as well, and hops up to greet the missing family members. I follow him to the entrance hallway, stepping carefully when Natsu bounds ahead of both of us. Shouyou practically vibrates at my side, impatiently waiting for the doorknob to turn.

It finally does, and three heads, not two, appear in the open doorway, along with a burst of cold air. Mrs. Hinata bustles in first, laughing and greeting us enthusiastically, blocking my view of the unknown blonde for a moment. I press against the wall, letting her pass, and only then do I see who it is.

“Saeko!” Shouyou gasps.

Sure enough, Miwa walks in with Saeko glued to her side. My big sister has on at least three layers, while her girlfriend barely has on enough clothing to cover her arms from the cold. Despite this, both are grinning widely.

“Little Shouyou!” Saeko exclaims, throwing her arms around him. Miwa laughs, and I grin a little, guiding her past the other two and into the kitchen.

After a moment, Saeko bursts in as well, boisterous and happy. Shou trails behind, looking slightly suffocated but similarly elated. Soon, the room is nearly bursting with all the guests.

“Oh, don’t worry! Ryuu should be showing up any moment now - he had to grab something from the van!” Saeko yammers, grinning.

_Yet another guest._ I’m just thankful that Nishinoya is spending the holidays at the Asahi household. A shiver of sympathy darts through me, though, when I try to wonder what that would look like. As if on cue, the front door bursts open again, and Tanaka’s signature shaved head appears. It’s barely visible above the armful of brightly wrapped presents he struggles to hold.

“Gwah!” Prompted by a nudge from his mother, Shouyou darts forward to help lighten the burden.

“Thanks, Hinata!” Tanaka laughs, handing him all he can carry (two boxes). They carry them to the living room, setting it all on the carpet near the Christmas tree. “Seven extra presents! One for Hinata, Miwa, big sis, Kageyama, Natsu, Mrs. Hinata, and me!”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I mumble, looking down and pushing up my glasses. A shadow passes over me, and a hand claps my shoulder, hard. I flinch, but can’t help but mimic the grin I see on Tanaka’s face when I look up.

“Of course I did! But man, is it weird to see you blushing,” he laughs.

My grin quickly turns into a glare, but he backs away, still laughing. I sigh and turn around, watching the others bustle around the kitchen. Mrs. Hinata summons bowls of various cookie dough from somewhere - most likely the fridge - and sets them out onto the counter to sit before we prepare it for baking.

Natsu digs around the fridge as well and pulls out a jug of eggnog nearly half her size, struggling under the weight but smiling with rosy cheeks. Shouyou reaches down to help her, but struggles almost as much once he grips the handle. His cheeks puff out and he furrows in concentration, attempting to lift it onto the counter.

I groan and step forward, reaching around and grabbing the jug myself. Raising it up with ease and setting it down on the countertop, I raise my eyebrows at Shouyou. It must barely weigh ten pounds.

He refuses to meet my gaze, instead glaring at the floor with his cheeks still puffed out. I can’t help but laugh a little, quickly covering my mouth. He looks back up and grins at me.

Natsu pulls at my pajama bottoms, gesturing for me to crouch down. She cups her hands around her mouth and leans forward.

_“Get a room,”_ she whispers loudly.

I lean away, grinning, and poke her forehead before standing back up. I glance around as I push up my glasses. Miwa and Saeko are sitting on the living room couch, looking at the latter’s phone screen. I hear them laughing and saying something about Tanaka when he was younger.

Tanaka himself doesn’t hear anything. He’s too busy laughing at something Shouyou said, as they help Mrs. Hinata with dinner. I fidget, not knowing what to do.

“Tobio!” Miwa calls. I turn. She’s waving at me to join the pair in the living room. Saeko grins at me, as well.

I glance back at Shouyou for a moment, who instinctively looks up to lock eyes. He smiles; a confirmation. I turn back around and move to the couch, stepping around the floorboards I know are creaky. I sit at Miwa’s right once I reach them, Saeko staying at her left.

“As I was saying, this is Tanaka when he was…”

I listen to them speak, feeling awkward at first. But I eventually relax into the couch and bring myself to join in on the conversation. I let out a short laugh, every now and then, as we talk.

Still unable to comfortably maintain eye contact with either of them, however, my gaze drifts to the kitchen. I watch Natsu and Shouyou press out shapes in the cookie dough and try to keep Tanaka from eating spoonfuls of it raw. I wonder how they’re managing to cut out any cookies at all.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Did you know:_

In Japan, Christmas is a bit different than in western countries. Since Christianity isn’t the major religion, the holiday is more about loved ones and relationships (like Valentine’s day) than a religion.

In fact, Christmas Eve is often celebrated more than Christmas itself: the former is a day when couples would give each other gifts.

The most common Christmas dinner in Japan is a surprising one: Kentucky Fried Chicken. It originated when foreigners found it difficult to get their hands on turkey; so, they turned to the next best thing. It quickly gained popularity, and is now a widespread custom.

In America, it is a common tradition to bake large batches of cookies and other goods. In Japan, the tradition is slightly different: instead of cookies, they often make sweets such as ‘ _wagashi_ ’. (In this work, Hinata’s father brought over the western tradition.)

‘ _Wagashi_ ’ “are traditional Japanese confections that are often served with green tea, especially the types made of _mochi_ , _anko_ (azuki bean paste), and fruits. Wagashi are typically made from plant-based ingredients.”

‘ _Mochi_ ’ “is Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape.”

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

After a moment, I notice that the conversation has dwindled. I blink, refocusing myself. Miwa grins, obviously having noticed me staring into the kitchen. _It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her this happy. But she’s been smiling more than ever these last couple of months._

“Go on,” she laughs. “Make us some cookies!”

I bow my head (mostly to Saeko), sheepish for about the billionth time today, and rise from the couch. I cross the room to the kitchen, bringing my leg around to sit on the stool. Once sitting, I cross my arms and lean my elbows on the counter.

Shouyou looks up and smiles; Tanaka takes the chance to shove the spoon into his mouth, far too tall to be within Natsu’s reach. She gasps, determinedly attempting to climb up his legs to yank the spoon out of his mouth.

I roll my eyes at the back of his shaved head, unable to wipe off a smile, and look down at the trays in front of us. Half of them are already covered in all shapes and sizes of ready-to-be-baked cookies.

There’re gingerbread men, Santa hats, presents, Christmas trees, stars, circular ornaments, stockings, and simple shapes, among others. They’re messy, but not sloppy; more… comforting. _Home-made_.

Shouyou shoves the bowls of cookie dough farther into the center of the counter, so I can reach them better. Then he hands me a cutting board to do my cookie-cutting on. The bin of said cookie-cutters is shifted last, and I can now see just how wide a variety of shapes there are.

“Thanks, Shou,” I mumble, peering into the bin, lost in my head. He giggles.

_This family. Despite having been… part of it, I suppose, for about two months now, I doubt I’ll ever grow used to it. Everybody’s so kind and happy and positive. Miwa’s amazing, and I’m thankful she’s my sister, but it’s so different. We’re siblings: we fight, we get mad at each other, and it’s a different relationship, especially when she’s been my only guardian for so long._

_This household, this family, is almost too good to be true. It’s like heaven here; no wonder Shouyou is so adamant in his beliefs and ambitions. He has a home to fall back to, people to comfort him and promise him a future full of happiness no matter what happens. He’s confident, and for good reason. I don’t know what I’ve done to be allowed so wholeheartedly into a place like this._

_Whatever it was, I’ll make sure their efforts to keep me comfortable don’t go unrewarded, or unworthy. I want to do everything I can for this family. For Shouyou. I want to be worth it._

I reach for a random cookie-cutter, but another hand bumps mine on its way to grab the same one. Just before I look up, I notice the shape: a heart. Then I see who the hand belongs to.

“... Just take it, Tanaka,” I sigh, looking back down from his flabbergasted face and grabbing a different one.

His loud laughter fills the kitchen, and Shouyou soon joins in as well. The latter forms a heart with his hands, giving me a mocking, “lovey-dovey” face. I reach out and grip his hair, ignoring his shouts of protest and apology.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Christmas Eve_

_(Hinata’s POV)_

Christmas Eve is the day of lovers, like Valentine’s Day. Commercials on the TV advertise last-minute gift ideas for couples, both young and old. There’re also ads for KFC every so often.

I sink further into the couch, feeling as if I’m melting. I look over at ma in the kitchen, whipping up large batches of cookie dough. Last year, we made the traditional wagashi, so we decided to go the western route this time around. She hums as she works, checking recipes every now and then but mostly tossing in approximations ingrained into her mind. She’s like a walking recipe book.

I’d already texted Kageyama earlier today, making sure he was still coming over. _Now all I have to do is wait. And wait. And… wait._

Huffing, I turn off the TV and hop to my feet. I spin on my heel and make my way down the hallway to my bedroom (stopping to take a restroom break, first). The carpet is soft between my toes, having been freshly vacuumed.

I glance around my unusually clean room, and my eyes stop at the small box sitting on my desk. I grin, but I can’t give it to Kageyama today, however much I’d like to. Him and I are going somewhere special the day after Christmas, and only then can I give it to him.

I told him that, too, when we texted. He told me that he had something for me that he could give me today, but I have no idea what. Since he’s so quiet, he’s much better than I am at keeping secrets, so I can only hope I don’t accidentally spoil my gift.

_“Shouyou, your boyfriend’s here!”_ Ma calls from the kitchen. I hear Natsu laughing in her bedroom through my wall, and I flush.

_“Coming!”_ I shout, slapping the wall between Natsu’s room and mine.

Then I grin, feeling my heart beat hard and fast. I jump out of my room, nearly hitting my head on the doorframe, and race down the hall. I skid into the livingroom and grip the wall, spinning myself around and down the hallway at the front door.

“Careful!” Ma laughs. I gulp, taking a deep breath before gripping the doorknob tightly and pulling the door open.

For just a moment, before Kageyama notices that I’d opened the door, I see his silhouette. His head is looking off to the side (a side profile), his jaw sharp enough to cut paper. The midday sun shines diamonds on his glasses. Then his eyes widen, and he turns to me.

“Shouyou,” Kageyama says in greeting, making my heart flutter. He sounds almost shocked that I still live here.

I grin, composing myself. “Hi, Tobio.”

He gulps, then brings his hands around to his front; I hadn’t noticed they were behind his back. In them is a paper bag. He looks away, glaring at something in the distance with a red face, pulling something out of the bag and holding it out to me. _Cute!_

A pair of keychains: two round, black crows, one with orange feathers on its head and wide eyes, the other with even darker black feathers on its head and glaring eyes. Both are each about the size of my fist, and have two pink felt circles for blush.

My eyes grow huge, and a smile spreads across my face. I quickly look back up at Kageyama, taking them and clutching them to my chest.

“Gwah! They’re- they’re _adorable!”_

He looks away, cheeks red. “Dumbass…” he mutters. “There’s more. Come on.”

I blink, curious. He steps inside, muttering _“Excuse the intrusion”_ and taking off his shoes. Then I follow Kageyama down the hall, still holding the keychains tightly. The paper bag is still in his hands, and it appears there’s more ‘somethings’ in it. _But what is it?_

He says hello to ma, who grins at him before turning back to her cookie dough, humming. He greets Natsu, as well, as she nearly barrels into him on her way out of her room. Her gleeful laughter rings throughout the house, and she hops away, probably to help out in the kitchen.

At last, we reach my room. I quickly skirt around him and snatch the box off my desk, shoving it into a drawer before he sees it. Then I spin around, sheepishly.

“Sorry,” I tell him as he raises his eyebrows. “I’ll give it to you soon! I have something else to give you in a minute, anyways.”

The corner of his mouth quirks up, and he glances down at the floor.

“Anyways, what else is there?” I ask, sitting on my bed.

“Oh,” he starts, looking back into the paper bag and blushing yet again. “Well… Here, just... see for yourself.”

This time I raise my eyebrows as he steps forward and hands the bag to me. I set the keychains on the bed next to me and open it, peering inside. _A book?_ Reaching in, I grab the object and pull it out.

 _Karasuno’s #10 and the Secrets of Volleyball_.

My eyes grow huge. The cover shows a still of the ‘Small Giant’ in mid air, his face covered by curling black hair. He has a pair of massive, raven-black wings that look so real I could almost believe they were. He’s poised in a spiking position, and the ball is seemingly floating in front of him.

I flip through the pages, trembling in excitement as I catch glimpses of the small book’s contents. Unique hand signals; every single type of recorded play in Japan’s volleyball history, including ones special to only specific teams; the best volleyball players in global history; a biography on the Small Giant himself; dramatic photoshoots of epic receives, spikes, blocks, serves, sets, etc.

My brain begins buzzing, happy and loud and excited to absorb every piece of information in the book as soon as possible. Instead, I look back up at Kageyama, grinning harder than ever. He stands there rubbing his neck, waiting for me to say something.

“Tobio! This… this is… _marry me!”_ I exclaim, hugging the book to my chest.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Two months ago_

_(Miwa’s POV)_

I sit at the kitchen counter, the silence buzzing in my ears. Well, that’s not quite right. My heart pounds loudly, and I’m positive that anybody within a mile radius can hear it as loud and clear as day.

_Okay. Tobio is still at school. He’ll be coming home at around five, six at the latest, because of volleyball practice. Right now, it’s… ten-thirty. That leaves me plenty of time._

_She’ll get here soon. Any minute now. I just have to sit here, and wait. Patiently. Everything’ll be okay. Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. In, out. In, out. In, ou--_

My frantic thoughts are interrupted by a loud knocking at the door, which sends a jolt through me. I whip around, obviously still unable to see who it is through the solid wood. My heart pounds, almost believing I imagined the sound. But no - there it is again. Loud, but not insistent.

A nervous grin spreads across my face, and I quickly tuck my hair behind my ear as I hop up. “Coming!” I call, anxiously looking around for something to readjust before darting to the door.

I open it, and a familiar face greets me.

“Hey, Miwa! I almost didn’t think you were home!” Saeko laughs.

Her chopped blonde hair bounces, and her gold earrings reflect the morning sun brightly. She’s dressed in a black biker jacket atop a dark red tank top, grey skinny jeans with a black belt, and a pair of knee-high black boots with zippers along the sides.

I, on the other hand, just have on a black, long sleeve shirt, a pair of navy green, high-waisted canvas pants, and worn brown Oxford shoes. Of course, my bangs are slicked back for the occasion. My cheeks flush as I realize I have paint marks on my clothes, and I hide my fidgeting hands behind my back.

“Ah, no, uh, sorry about that! I just…” I pause, deciding to tell the truth. “I got nervous.” I give her an embarrassed grin.

“Aw, that’s alright! There’s nothing to be nervous about!” Saeko laughs, twirling her car keys. Her black nail polish makes my heart flutter. “Do you know of a good coffee shop, or should I pick one?”

I pat my pockets, making sure I have my phone, keys, and wallet as I rack my brain. “Actually… I think I know a place.”

~•°•°-----------------------°•°•~

I was nervous, at first, to be driven by Saeko. Tobio had filled my brain with graphic descriptions of her far-too-fast and possibly quite violent driving. However, it seems that her driving isn’t that bad when she’s not in a rush.

We talk as she drives up the mountain, filling the silence as we get to know each other better. I discover that she’s 21 (three years younger than me), graduated from Karasuno High, and that she works at the Karasuno Eatery (which is where the van she’s driving is from).

“--And my brother! He’s the coolest. You should meet him sometime!” Saeko says, glancing over at me to give me a wink and a smile before gluing her eyes back on the road. My heart flutters again.

“Speaking of your brother, is his first name ‘Ryuu’?” I ask. My fingers tug at a loose thread on my green pants.

“‘Ryuunosuke’, but you know him!?” she asks, eyebrows flying up as she glances at me again. Her louder is higher than mine, but there’s something guttural and deep about it as well that makes my cheeks pink. 

I can’t help but laugh at her surprise. “My little brother’s Tobio. He’s part of the boys’ volleyball club at Karasuno. He’s talked about you and your brother before!”

“Oh, that’s right! Ryuu mentioned that he knew the name ‘Kageyama’ from somewhere, and reminded me that I drove the 'freak duo' all the way to Tokyo…” The turn signal clicks, and we round a corner, pulling into a small parking lot. “But it looks like we’re here, so let’s continue this inside!”

She flashes me a grin once we’re parked, and I give her one of my own in response.

“Okay!”

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

We sit across from each other inside the café. In front of me is a mug of caramel coffee and a large blueberry muffin. Saeko, on the other hand, has a mug of black coffee and an ice cream bar kept cool by sitting in a bowl of ice cubes. After exchanging stories of how it went when we told our little brothers about our date, the conversation shifts.

“So, how’d you hear of this place, anyways?” she asks, downing a gulp. It’s a wonder the mug isn’t empty by now.

I look around, as it’s really only my first time stepping inside. Various signs around the place display the shop’s name: “Sunbird Café”. Only a handful of the dozen or so tables are occupied. The others are clean, topped only with a container of napkins and salt, pepper, and sugar shakers.

Two cashiers stand at the front before the kitchen, serving customers at the counter. Small bells ring every time somebody passes through the doorway. A small amount of gold paint accents the otherwise warm, neutral scheme of the place.

Soft music plays from a primary-colored speaker in the middle of the room. Transparent fairy lights line the windows, giving off a yellow glow, like miniature lanterns. When I look back at Saeko, her brown looks almost golden.

I gulp, regaining my composure. “Well, Tobio told me all about this place after coming home from a date with his boyfriend, actually. Right down to the number of steps it took to walk here!”

She laughs, loud and bright. It’s so different from being around Tobio. I begin to feel as if my cheeks will hurt from how much I’m smiling and laughing today; it’s an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome, feeling.

“Well, lucky us, then!”

I take another sip, smiling to myself. “What made you ask me on a date, anyways?” I ask her. _‘Is it really that obvious I’m a lesbian?’_ is what I’m really asking.

Saeko hums, poking at her ice cream bar. “Hm... You looked cute!”

I choke on my last sip of coffee. “That’s why you asked me out on a date?”

She laughs, throwing her head back. “Yeah! And you had this one paint mark on your arm that was placed just so; it screamed _‘lesbian’!”_

I laugh with her, reaching for my blueberry muffin. “Well, when I first saw you, all I could think was _‘Wow, she could punch me and I’d thank her.’”_

“Oh, I’d never! But I can believe that you’d thank me,” she adds, laughing and unwrapping her ice cream.

A tall pair of boys walks through the door as I grin sheepishly, making the bells ring. The taller has light brown, curly hair, black glasses, and wears khaki pants and a mint sweater. The other has darker, spiky hair, and wears a jean jacket over a grey sweatshirt and black jeans.

Something about them is familiar, though I don’t know why. Though the first seems more regal and full of himself, the other has an air of _“I’m the only one who can keep him in check”._ It sort of reminds me of a king and his advisor.

My attention snaps back to Saeko. She’s looking out the window, studying something in the street while practically inhaling her ice cream bar. _So much for suggestive popsicle-eating,_ I think to myself. _Those_ yuri _manga are lies._

Even though this isn’t a _yuri_ manga, I still find myself staring at her silhouette. Her sharp jaw, her darting eyes - everything about her makes my heart pound. Man, am I lucky she thought I was cute.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Did you know:_

‘ _Yuri_ ’ “is a term used for content in Japanese media (anime, manga, and literary works) involving romantic relationships between women, both sexual and non-sexual in nature.”

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Christmas Day (Present)_

_(Kageyama’s POV)_

“Mo-om,” Natsu whines. “Can we open presents now? Can we? _Please?”_

The air smells like eggnog and baking cookies, pine needles and crisp snow, candy canes and Christmas.

Mrs. Hinata laughs, hoisting herself up from the couch. Shouyou is tucked into my side; there’s no room for him not to be, since Miwa and Saeko are on the couch as well. The TV gets turned down - it’s playing some old Christmas movie, mostly for background noise.

Shouyou looks up, donning a glowing smile. My cheeks dust with color, and I look away from him toward the pile of presents under the Christmas tree. Natsu practically flings herself onto them, making Saeko laugh.

I hear Tanaka slam open the bathroom door down the hall behind us. “DID SOMEBODY SAY _PRESENTS!?”_

Shouyou snorts, quickly covering his mouth, but I can still see his grin through his eyes. He radiates so much body heat, it almost burns where he leans against me.

 _“Tanaka-senpai, get in here!”_ he calls, standing and pulling me up along with him. My side suddenly feels cold where he used to be.

The couch gets pushed aside, and the _kotatsu_ is moved to the center of the living room. Shouyou and Natsu spread seven mats around the table: one for each of us. Then all of us kneel, except Mrs. Hinata, Miwa, and Saeko, who all begin passing out the presents to the right people.

My legs begin to tingle as they fall asleep, and I realize I’d probably grown too used to Shouyou’s couch. Despite trying to remain stoic, my face lights up with every gift set in front of me. The last one is distributed - and everybody ends up with three. Well, except Natsu, who has four.

“Oh, the camera!” Mrs. Hinata exclaims. “I’ll be right back!”

My face flushes. _More photos._ As she stands, however, somebody knocks loudly at the front door.

~•°•°---------------------°•°•~

_Two months ago_

_(Miwa’s POV)_

“Hey, hey, it’s okay! It’ll be okay, I promise, just talk to me, okay? What’s wrong?” Saeko wraps her arms around me in a hug, squeezing me, but not too tight.

I take in deep, shuddering breaths, focusing on Saeko’s warmth. Finally, the tears begin to slow, and I loosen my grip on her. My eyes hurt, and my cheeks feel sticky.

“I’m sorry for coming over so suddenly, I just… I just…” I hiccup, looking down at the floor.

_Why did I come here? Why am I crying? I feel pitiful. I cried on Saeko, of all people; I’m an embarrassment. She’s probably disgusted by me. She--_

“It’s okay! You have nothing to apologize for, Miwa!” she squeezes my shoulder. My heart feels too heavy to skip a beat at the use of my name, like it normally would. “I’ll be right back - stay here, alright?”

I manage a nod, and look around her apartment. It’s small, but she’s somehow managed to fit an entire dark red drum set, a TV with at least one console, and a few shelves drilled into the walls, covered in figurines and what appears to be manga.

The floor is made up of _tatami_ mats; I’d grown used to the hardwood floors in our home, and only now remember to slip off my shoes and set them by the doorway.

Saeko returns from a doorway on the right, holding a cloth. I hiccup again, looking down at my socks. She steps up to me and, after a moment, tilts my chin to wipe at my cheeks with the warm, damp cloth. Despite my hiccups, my ears grow warm as I watch Saeko’s concentrated face.

Her eyes lock with mine, and this time, my heart skips and thuds. I realize that I have to look down a bit to look into her eyes; I hadn’t noticed before when she showed up to my house in heeled boots. Then she steps back, clearing her throat; I can’t help but wonder if her cheeks are red because of me, too.

“Well,” Saeko begins, clearing her throat again and looking back up. “What’s wrong?”

My heart sinks again, and I let out a breath. “It’s just… my father. I haven’t lived with him for… a long time. And now he’s back; Tobio and I agreed to let him. He was gone because he wasn’t able to take care of us after what happened with okaa-san, and- and it’s so different and I just- I’m sorry.”

Saeko listened patiently as I spoke, even if she didn’t know what I meant about my mother. When I was done, she didn’t say a word. Instead, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me again. I stood stiffly for a moment, surprised; but after a minute, I let out another breath and relaxed into the comfort.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to speak, anyways.

After that, I just sort of... stayed over for a while. The silences were comfortable as we sat around, occasionally watching TV or playing a game or just chatting. Eventually, though, I glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of the setting sun.

I look at Saeko, who’s reclined on her bed, reading a manga. My heart skips at the yellow lollipop dangling from her mouth, the stick twirling around and around.

“Hey, uh, Saeko, it’s getting late, and I should probably get back to my brother…”

She looks up at me, the lollipop nearly falling. “Oh! Yeah, that’s fine! It is pretty late… Do you want me to drive you home?”

I smile at the thought, rising to my feet. “You don’t have to; I wouldn’t want you to go out of your way! But if you insist, as long as you’re prepared to possibly meet my dad.”

Saeko shuts her book, crushing the candy hard between her teeth. “Is he… cool?” she asks after chewing and swallowing. She glances over her shoulder at me as she sets the manga onto its shelf.

“He’s asexual,” I grin, knowing what she meant.

“Well, it’s settled then! I can drive you in your car there. One of my band mates lives real close, so I’ll just walk to their place! I need to get more practice in anyways.”

“Thank you, Saeko.”

She turns to me, bowing slightly and extending a hand. She peers at me through her eyelashes, a sly grin off-setting the grandeur she mocks. “Shall we?”

I laugh, startled by the act. “Yes, let’s.”

~•°•°-------------------°•°•~

_Did you know:_

‘ _Tatami_ ’ “is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. _Tatami_ are covered with woven soft rush straw. The core is traditionally made from rice straw, but contemporary _tatami_ sometimes have compressed wood chip boards or polystyrene foam cores. The long sides are usually edged with brocade or plain cloth, although some _tatami_ have no edging.”

~•°•°-------------------°•°•~

“Saeko?” I begin as we park in front of my house.

She looks at me. “Hm?”

I look at my hands in my lap and chew on the inside of my cheek. “I just wanted to say… thank y--”

Soft hands grab the sides of my face, and even softer lips crash against mine. I only hesitate for one startled moment before closing my eyes and looping my arms around her neck, pressing closer into the kiss. Her hands stay cradling my jaw, but her thumbs rub circles on my cheeks.

_Warm._

~•°•°-------------------°•°•~

_Christmas Eve_

_(Hinata’s POV)_

Kageyama stammers, face bright red. “Ah, well, I-I’m glad you like it…”

I set the book to the side with the keychains and hop up, throwing my arms around him and pressing my lips to his.

 _“Like_ it? I _love_ it,” I say when we break apart.

He smiles, pulling off his glasses and looking into my eyes. His smiles have been a lot less scary lately; I wonder if he’s been getting better on purpose, or if it’s just because he’s been smiling more. Either way, it suits him.

His blue eyes go soft and shiny, and his cheeks are dusted a slight pink. _Beautiful._ I tell him so.

“D-dumbass...”

I grin at him. “I have a present for you, too. And I’ll give you the other one the day after Christmas!”

He groans. “I know, I know. What’s this one then?”

“Well!” I say, turning around and moving to my desk, pulling open the drawer again. I dig around, making sure he can’t see the box as I do. Then I find and pull out the transparent CD case.

He joins me, making a curious noise.

“Here.” I hand the case to him. On it, written in black Sharpie, are the words _‘Tobio: Thank you for teaching me to fly.’_

Kageyama slowly reaches out, taking it from my hands and looking down at it. His blue eyes begin to look a little watery behind those glasses of his. Looking back up at me, his mouth opens and closes, silently. Finally, he gathers the words.

“What… what’s this?” he asks, though he holds the case as if it's his most treasured thing in the world.

I look down at the floor, my fingers twisting together as I shift my weight from side to side. “Well… you know how my dad made music?” Kageyama nods, moving over to sit on my bed. I sit beside him.

“I told you he never published any. Which is true! The public never got to hear what he wrote. But… he still wrote and composed and sang music. He put it all into a file, and we found the ones he’d abandoned or hadn’t gotten the chance to finish.

“So… I listen to it every morning. Every day on my way to school, when I’m biking over the mountain, I listen to the playlist. There’s _hundreds_ of songs; mostly covers of music, or instrumentals, but there’s also songs he wrote all by himself, and music he composed for the piano and guitar.

“I wanted to give you this copy so you could listen to it, too. If you wanted. It’s okay if you don’t!” I finish my spiel and look at Kageyama on my left.

He looks down at the disc, then back up at me. “Of course I want to.” He struggles for a moment with his next words, but they are heartfelt nonetheless. “Thank you.”

A small smile spreads across my face. “Merry Christmas Eve, ‘Yama.”

“Merry Christmas Eve, Shou.”

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

_Christmas Day (Present)_

_(Kageyama’s POV)_

I jump at the sound of the knocking, and furrow my brow as I look in the direction of the front door. The rest of us kneeling at the _kotatsu_ do the same, and the room falls silent.

“I’ll get that,” Mrs. Hinata tells us, having already been standing anyways. Miwa gets up to accompany her, and they head down the short hall.

I face forward, adjusting myself so I’m cross-legged. I stare down at the white and red _futon_ , studying the pattern. The warmth from the space heater underneath makes my legs tingle.

Tanaka whispers something to Shouyou, making them both stifle laughter, but I didn’t catch what it was. I hear the front door open. A few moments later, a rush of cold air trails its freezing fingers down my spine. I shiver.

“Hey, Tobio, c’mere!” Miwa calls suddenly, making me jump.

Feeling as if I’m being called to the front of the classroom, I hesitantly rise to my feet. The cold air strikes my legs. Shouyou furrows his brow as he watches me cross the living room to the front door.

The hall is dark - Mrs. Hinata must not have turned on the light. But the white glow from street lamps on Christmas illuminates the silhouettes. I can’t quite make out who the man is that stands in the doorway, since the other two are in front of him.

“Who is it?” I ask after a moment, catching their attention during what seems to be a pause in conversation.

Miwa turns to me, eyes bright. “Ah, Tobio! It’s _father!”_

I blink, pushing up my glasses, and they step aside to let the man through. I turn around for a moment and flick on the light switch. When I turn back, I can see that, indeed, it is our father.

“Hello, little Tobio!” he says brightly, smiling.

“I… I thought you had to work tonight,” I say, stunned. I hear rustling behind me and know that somebody, most likely Shouyou, has joined us.

“They decided to pity me, since it’s Christmas…” He rubs the back of his neck with his free hand. In the other, I notice, he holds a large cloth bag. He notices me staring. “Ah! Well, you haven’t finished opening presents yet, have you?”

~•°•°---------------------°•°•~

_(Hinata’s POV)_

It seemed almost like destiny, the way Kageyama’s father filled in the very last seat at the kotatsu. Starting at the top left and going clockwise around the table: Kageyama’s father, Miwa, Saeko, Tanaka, Natsu, my mom, me, and ‘Yama. 

It was quiet at first, when the newest guest had arrived, the silence broken only by his apologies to ma for coming so suddenly, and her grinning reassurances. But then Tanaka cracked a joke, and the thick atmosphere was lifted. Natsu exclaimed her joy for the new bag of small presents that were added to the bunch, and we were finally ready to begin Christmas.

“Say _‘cheese’!”_ Ma tells us, grinning.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

One by one, the presents are opened (though of course, Kageyama’s father didn’t get anything, but swears up and down that he doesn’t mind).

Natsu got a new notebook, a new set of colored pencils, and a bento box with characters from her favorite cartoon on it (from me). From Kageyama’s father, she received a package of brightly colored stickers. She grinned widely with every gift, and, after a bit of fussing, allowed herself to be in multiple photos.

Miwa got some hair clips designed to look like sushi (from Saeko), a belt with the colors of the lesbian pride flag, and a new set of paint brushes from her father. She was equally elated with the gifts, throwing her arms around everybody at the table and hugging them tightly.

Tanaka received a box of hair chalk (which he nearly escaped into the bathroom with immediately to color his shaved head with), a set of black and gold drum sticks (from his sister), and a brand new pair of knee pads. As soon as he’s finished saying thank you, he dashes off to the bathroom, clutching the hair chalk with a wild grin.

Saeko, on the other hand, was given a black set of plain earrings from Tanaka, a handful of pride flag patches to iron onto her denim jacket from Miwa, and a metal keychain in the shape of a motorcycle to put on her keyring. She grins and thanks us, clapping her brother on the back.

Ma got an oven mitt shaped like Kermit the frog (from me), a drawing from Natsu, and a series of photos of me receiving the volleyball with my face (from Kageyama). After she finishes laughing, she thanks us. She once again reassures ‘Yama’s dad, since he couldn’t think of anything to get her.

Kageyama receives a brand new pair of black and gold volleyball shoes from his father, a pair of headphones with LED lights in the shape of cat ears (from me), and a black t-shirt that says _‘Fly!’_ on it in white _kanji_. Stammering and red in the face, he thanks us. I grin at him.

Finally, it’s my turn. I was given a sweatshirt that matches Kageyama’s shirt (black, _‘Fly!’_ in white _kanji_ ), my own new pair of white and red volleyball sneakers from ‘Yama’s dad, and a set of two posters of the Small Giant to hang in my room. Ecstatic, I grin as hard as I can.

~•°•°-------------------°•°•~

_Day After Christmas_

_(Kageyama’s POV)_

“Where are we going?” I ask Shouyou once we’re in Miwa’s car.

He grins at me and squeezes my hand as we drive over a bump in the road. “You’ll see!”

I sigh, but am secretly buzzing to know what’ll happen. In his free hand is that small box. He tries to keep it from view, but I already know there’s nothing on the plain white outside that could give indication to the contents anyways.

As we drive into town, Shouyou talks about all the plans he has for the rest of Christmas break. We’re meeting the rest of the team tomorrow to exchange small gifts with one another and share what we did over Christmas. We’re also supposedly having another meetup with Kenma, Kuroo, Oikawa, and Iwaizumi. I’m nervous to see how that’ll go, but it can’t be helped.

I nod and contribute to the conversation as best as I can while spinning wild tales in my head about where we could be going.

Finally, Shouyou jerks his head up as the car slows. “Here, park us here; we should walk the rest of the way!”

“Good idea!” Miwa says, pulling over with a grin. I furrow my brow. _Does she know where we’re going, too?_

Once we’re parked, we all get out. I’m a bit off-put by Miwa joining us, but I let Shouyou lead me by the hand regardless. He’s shivering slightly from the cold, winter air. He suddenly halts, and I almost crash into him.

“Dumbass--!”

“Close your eyes! We’re nearly there!”

I groan and reluctantly squeeze them shut. “Don’t make me trip,” I warn him as he slowly pulls me the rest of the way forward.

He only laughs, but we stumble at least once until, at last, stopping. “Okay. You can open them now!”

I blink, squinting past the fog on my glasses in an attempt to read the sign on the dark shop. “...T… 'Tattoo Parlour'..?”

He grins at me, bright and radiant even in the coldest of weather. “Yeah! But - you aren’t getting a tattoo, don’t worry. They do piercings here, too! I just… I remember a little while back you were staring at Saeko, and when I asked you about it, you’d said you wanted to get ear piercings like that sometime, too, so…”

Miwa laughs behind me at the mention of her girlfriend. A mixture of nervousness and giddiness floods through me, making my heart pound with adrenaline. “Ear piercings.”

Shouyou doesn’t say anything, just holds the box out to me. I take it from him after a moment, and pull off the lid. Inside is a pair of black earrings that appear to be fake gauges.

I look back up at the parlour, raising my eyebrows. “For Christmas, you’re taking me… to get my ears pierced.”

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

The air in the Tattoo Parlour is warm, but not hot. I’ve since taken my jacket off, and am reclining in a decently comfortable leather seat. Rock music plays quietly in the background, but I can’t understand the English words.

I focus on the sounds and sensations, keeping my eyes closed. I try my absolute hardest to ignore the Sharpie drawing a circle on both of my earlobes. I also try to ignore the squeaky sound of the gloves the man wears. And the jingling of his dozens of piercings.

Shouyou giggles somewhere behind me. I’m too nervous to move an inch, so I resort to tightening my grip on the armrests. Suddenly a cold metal presses on my left earlobe.

“Ready?” the man asks. His voice is gruff, but kind.

I let out a breath. “Yeah.”

He says something about relaxing my muscles, which I try to do in the moment he gives me before - an odd feeling pierces through my ear.

I blink my eyes open, surprised.

It felt like… I’d just been pinched. My ear feels warm and tingly and slightly sore, but it doesn’t hurt a lot. Suddenly the feeling repeats itself in my right ear, and it’s all I can do not to flinch in surprise.

Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes, but I’m able to let out a long breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Though blurry, my vision refocuses on the man facing away from me, cleaning off the tool he used for the piercings.

“You doin’ alright? Does it hurt?” he asks, glancing over his shoulder at me.

Behind me, I hear Shouyou and Miwa draw in their breaths, waiting for my response. “...Pinched.”

Shouyou snorts, and the man lets out a chuckle, pulling off his gloves. “That’s normal. Take this, and remember to turn the earring often so it doesn’t heal up around the piercing or get infected, all that. Come see me or a pediatrician if you think it might be infected.”

I nod as he speaks, feeling slightly lightheaded at the prospect of getting an infected piercing. He moves to the counter, gesturing at us to follow him. I stand with wobbly legs, letting Shouyou support me, though not without glaring furiously at the floor.

“And don’t forget that you just stabbed a hole in your ear, alright? Don’t go tugging real hard, and don’t take the piercing out until at least six weeks. And keep turning and cleaning it!”

I nod again once we reach the counter and Miwa pulls our father’s credit card out of her wallet (she reassures me that she told him what she was doing with it first). My stomach turns, and I furrow my brow, not trusting myself to open my mouth.

But as I grab my jacket on the way out the door, Shouyou’s hand still at my side, despite the queasiness… I feel powerful. _I just got my ears pierced. I have piercings. In my ears._ I grin, unable to stop myself from letting out a short laugh.

As he helps me into the car and slides in beside me, holding a small plastic bag in his free hand from the parlour, Shouyou laughs as well.

“Merry Christmas, ‘Yama.”

“Merry Christmas.”


End file.
